Apparatus for measuring and winding a given length of ribbon onto a spool



Nov. 11, 1969 M NORBISRATH 3,477,657

APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND WINDING A GIVEN LENGTH OF RIBBON ONTO A SPOOL Filed Jan. 30, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Int. (:1. B65h 19/20, 25/04 US. Cl. 242-56 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for measuring and winding a ribbon, such as the inked ribbon of a typewriter, onto a spool. The ribbon is supplied by a rotary supply means for movement along a given path, and while moving along this path the ribbon extends around a rotary measuring wheel means which will measure the preselected length of ribbon which is to be wound on a spool. The ribbon is wound onto an empty spol at a rotary turret head which carries a plurality of driven spindles on which spools are located and which is angularly displaceable to locate the several spools respectively at a plurality of predetermined operating stations. In the region of one of these stations is a clip-feeler means for feeling a clip on an empty spool, and at the region of another station is a clip-pressing means for pressing a clip with a ribbon attached thereto against the core of the spool for fastening the ribbon thereto. A cutting means is located in the region of the rotary turret for cutting through a ribbon.

My invention relates to devices for measuring and winding ribbon, particularly inked ribbon for typewriters, onto spools, in installations where the inked ribbon is derived from a braked rotary supply means carrying a roll of the inked ribbon from which the ribbon is supplied for movement along a predetermined path. Along this path is located a rotary measuring wheel around which the ribbon extends and from which the ribbon travels to an empty spool which is driven and onto which the ribbon is wound. This measuring wheel means is operatively connected with a counting mechanism which is adjustable so that the preselected length of ribbon which is to be wound onto a given spool can be determined.

One of the more important disadvantages encountered is known winding machines of this general type resides in the fact that before each winding operation commences the leading end of the ribbon must be fastened to the clip of each spool by hand, so that undesirable manual operations are required. The cutting of a completely wound ribbon and in particular the fastening of the new free end of the ribbon to a clip as well as the subsequent pressing of the clip against the core of the spool to fasten the ribbon thereto requires an undesirably large amount of time, so that the output of winding installations of this type is detrimentally influenced to an undesirably large degree particularly with respect to the high winding speeds which are possible with present-day installations.

It is accordingly a primary object of my invention to provide an apparatus which will avoid the above drawbacks.

Thus, it is an object of my invention to eliminate the above disadvantages of the conventional winding apparatus and in particular to provide an automatic winding apparatus which does not require any manual operations during winding of ribbon onto spools except for the initial positioning of the leading end of the ribbon of a new supply spool which has been placed on the rotary supply means.

"ice

In accordance with my invention, these objects are achieved by providing the ribbon-winding apparatus with a rotary turret means carrying a plurality of driven spindles adapted to coact with the spools for rotating the latter, the apparatus of my invention. also including a clip-feeler means for positioning the ribbon clip, a cutting means for cutting through the ribbon, and a clip-pressing means for pressing the clip against the core of the spool to fasten the ribbon thereto after the clip has pierced through the leading end of the ribbon.

In order to provide the ribbon during fastening of the leading end thereof to the core of an empty spool with the required tension, there is provided in accordance with a further feature of my invention a ribbon-tensioning means which is situated in advance of the rotary turret means and which preferably includes a pressure cylinder in which slides a piston fixed to a presser member for pressing the ribbon against an anvil which is located opposite the presser member, the ribbon extending between the anvil and the presser member. This ribbontensioning means is preferably carried by a carriage which is movable in the direction of ribbon travel in opposition to the force of a spring.

In order to achieve a continuous control over the woven web which forms the ribbon, there may be situated between the rotary measuring wheel means and the ribbontensioning means a ribbon-feeling means for sensing the presence of irregularities, kinks, and the like in the ribbon, this ribbon-feeling means preferably having an adjustable guide-slit and coacting with a feeler pin which actuates a limit switch.

The clip-feeler means preferably includes, in accordance with my invention, a movable feeler arm engaged by a follower pin which actuates a limit switch, while the clippressing means of my invention includes a pressure cylinder located at the winding station where the ribbon is wound onto an empty spool. Within the latter pressure cylinder is located a piston of the clip-pressing means, and this piston carries a presser member which presses against a clip to advance the latter into engagement with the core of the spool.

The cutting means also preferably includes a pressure cylinder having a cylinder slideable therein and carrying a cutting blade, and this latter pressure cylinder as well as the pressure cylinder of the clip-pressing means and the pressure cylinder of the ribbon-tensioning means are all controlled by a control means which is actuated from an adjustable counting mechanism driven by the rotary shaft of the measuring wheel means.

In order to assure an exact measurement of a preselected length of ribbon, the ribbon-engaging periphery of the measuring wheel means of my invention is provided with a material of a high coefiicient of friction such as, for example, a coating of high-quality corundum in fine granular form.

It is also possible to use in accordance with my inven tion a ribbon-tensionin-g means in the form of a swing lever having a free end carrying a presser roll which presses against the ribbon during travel thereof and which acts to displace the ribbon in a direction toward the fastening clip of the empty spool.

My invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings which form part of this application and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of the essential components of a ribbon-winding apparatus of my invention; and

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates part of another embodiment of an apparatus according to my invention.

The winding apparatus of my invention includes a ribbon-supply roll 3 carried by a braked rotary supply means. Thus, the supply roll 3 is mounted upon a rotary core engaged by a brake member 4 of an adjustable brake assembly 5. This supply means supplies the ribbon for movement along a predetermined path. Thus, the ribbon 6 travels from the supply roll 3 around a guide roll 7 to the periphery of a rotary measuring wheel means 8, around which the ribbon extends in the manner shown in FIG. 1, this wheel means 8 having at its periphery the material of the high coefficient of friction referred to above. From the rotary measuring wheel 8 which drives an illustrated adjustable counting mechanism, the ribbon extends around a second guide roller 9 from which the ribbon travels to a ribbon-feeling means 11. This ribbon-feeling means 11 feels the ribbon to sense the presence of irregularities, kinks, and the like. From the ribbon-feeling means 11 the ribbon travels to a ribbon-tensioning means 12. After moving beyond the ribbon-tensioning means 12 the ribbon is guided by a further guide roller 13 to an empty spool 14 carried by a rotary turret means 15.

Thus, in order to prevent slipping of the ribbon 6 so as to provide an accurate measurement of a preselected length thereof, the ribbon-engaging periphery of the rotary measuring wheel 8 is provided with a material having a high coefficient of friction.

The ribbon-feeling means 11 is in the form of a lever supported for swinging movement at its upper end by a pivot 16 and provided with a guide-slit 17 the width of which can be adjusted in accordance with the thickness of the ribbon and the desired quality thereof. A spring 18 coacts with the ribbon'feeling means 11 to urge the latter about the pivot 16 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, against a stop which is fragmentarily illustrated in section in FIG. 1 and which determines the normal position in Which the ribbonfeeling means 11 is yieldably held by the spring 18. In the event that a kink or other irregularity of the ribbon is felt by the feeler means 11, the latter swings about the pin 16 in opposition to the spring 18 so as to further tension the latter, and a feeler pin 19 engages the feeler means 11 so as to be displaced when the latter swings about the pin 16. This feeler pin 19 is operatively connected with a limit-switch means 21 to actuate the latter to terminate the operation of the apparatus when the feeler means 11 swings in response to feeling of an irregularity, kink, or the like in the ribbon. I

The ribbon-tensioning means 12 consists primarily o a pressure cylinder 22 adapted to receive any fluid under pressure such as air under pressure, for example, and the tensioning means 12 also includes a piston 23 which is slidable within the pressure cylinder 22 and which is fixed with a presser member 24 adapted to press the ribbon against an anvil 25, the ribbon moving along a path which extends between the presser member 24 and the anvil 25. This anvil 25 has a block-shaped configuration and is supported together with the cylinder 22 on a carriage means 26 guided for movement in the direction of ribbon travel by a guide means 27. A compression spring 28 presses against the carriage 26 to oppose movement thereof in the direction of ribbon travel, and this spring 28 can be adjusted as by the threaded stud schematically illustrated at the right end of the spring 28 in FIG. 1. This guide means 27 takes the form of a rod extending through a bore of the carriage 26, and a similar guide rod can pass through an upper part of the ribbon-tensioning means 12 in an unillustrated manner so that the tensioning means is guided at its upper and lower portions for movement in the direction of ribbon travel.

The rotary turret means of my invention consists in the illustrated example of three arms at the ends of which there are respectively situated three driven spool spindles 30, 31 and 32, corresponding to the removing station I, the feeling station II, and the winding station III. At the removing station I, a fully wound spool 33 is removed from the turret 15 or the spindle thereof. An empty spool 14 carrying a ribbon-fastening clip in any position is placed at the station II, while the winding operations take place at the station III. The empty spool at the feeling station II continuously rotates and is only stopped in its rotation when the fastening clip engages the feeler arm 36 of the clip-feeler means at the station II. This feeler arm 36 is supported for swinging movement by a pivot 37 and is urged in a clockwise direction by a spring 38. When the ribbon-fastening clip 35 engages the free end of the feeler lever 36, this lever is swung about the pin 37 in opposition to the spring 38. A follower pin 34 engages the lever 36 to follow the movement thereof, and this pin 34 is operatively connected with a limit switch 39 to actuate the latter when the lever 36 is swung in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, in opposition to the spring 38, so that as a result of this movement of the follower pin 34 the limit switch 39 Will be actuated to stop the drive of the spindle 31.

As soon as the empty spool 14 has been filled with ribbon at the winding station III, the next empty spool will be displaced from the feeling station II into the winding station III upon turning of the turret 15 through 120. In order to facilitate the fixing of the ribbon to the clip 35, the ribbon is placed under tension shortly before the new empty spool 14 reaches the winding station III. This result is brought about by clamping the ribbon between the presser member 24 and the anvil 25 of the ribbontensioning means 12 just before the next empty spool 14 reaches the winding station III, and during the continued turning of the turret 15 to complete the movement of the next empty spool to the winding station 111 the ribbontensioning means 12 is displaced in opposition to the spring 28. This operation takes place during movement of the empty spool from the dot-dash line position thereof shown just ahead of the station III and the solid line position thereof shown at the station III. Thus, as soon as the next empty spool 14 has been displaced from the dot-dash line position thereof shown in FIG. 1 to the winding station III, the tensioning means 12 has been displaced to the dotdash line position thereof also shown in FIG. 1.

At the winding station III there is the clip-pressing means 40 which includes the pressure cylinder 41 for receiving a fluid under pressure such as air, and this pressing means 40 further includes a piston 42 slidable within the cylinder 41 and a presser member 43 which is fixed to the piston 42 and which is adapted to engage the clip and press the latter against the core of the spool. Thus, the presser member 43 will press the clip 35 which has pierced through the ribbon toward and into engagement with the core of the spool as soon as the empty spool has reached the winding station III and the full spool has reached the removing station I. As a result the length of ribbon which extends between the removing station and the winding station is under tension so that at this tensioned length of ribbon the latter is in a condition to be cut through by the cutting blade 44 of the ribbon cutting means. This cutting means includes in addition to the blade 44 a piston 45 which carries the blade 44 and which is slidable within a pressure cylinder 46 also supplied with a fluid such as air under pressure. It is to be noted that the cutting means 44 cuts through the ribbon in the interior of the empty spool 14 at the winding station III. The supply of fluid under pressure to the pressure cylinders 22, 41 and 46 as well as the drive for the turret 15 and the spindle 32 at the winding station are all regulated by a control means which is shown in FIG. 1 and which is actuated by a counting mechanism which is adjustable and which is operatively connected to the shaft of the rotary measuring wheel means 8 so as to be driven thereby, this counting mechanism also being shown in FIG. 1. Thus, the Winding of the ribbon takes place on one spool after another in a fully automatic manner after the initial positioning of the leading end of the ribbon which extends from the supply roll 3.

Instead of a ribbon-tensioning means 12 as shown in FIG. 1, it is also possible to provide, as shown in FIG. 2, a ribbon-tensioning means in the form of a swing lever 49 supported for free swinging movement about a stationary pivot 48 and carrying at its free end a rotary pressing roll 50 which presses against the ribbon shortly before the running of the ribbon into the empty spool 14, this tensioning means of FIG. 2 acting to press the ribbon toward the fastening clip 35 and maintaining the ribbon under tension. The swing lever 49 can be moved by way of a motor or a pressure cylinder in a conventional manner. The rest of the structure of FIG. 2 is constructed in the same way as the apparatus of FIG. 1, and in particular there is between the guide rolls 9 and 10 a ribbon feeling means 11 as described above.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for winding a predetermined length of ribbon, such as an inked typewriter ribbon, onto a spool, rotary ribbon-supply means for supplying the ribbon for movement from said supply means along a given path, rotary measuring wheel means located along said path and around which said ribbon extends in engagement with said measuring wheel means for turning the latter to measure said predetermined length of ribbon as the latter moves along said path, rotary turret means to which the ribbon travels during movement along said path, said rotary turret means being located along said path subsequent to said rotary measuring wheel means and said rotary turret means carrying a plurality of driven spindle means for respectively carrying spools onto which ribbon is to be wound and for angularly displacing the driven spindle means together with said spools sequentially to a plurality of operating stations, clip-feeler means located in the region of one of said stations for feeling a ribbon-fastening clip on a spool and for locating said clip in a predetermined position, clip-pressing means located adjacent said rotary turret means at the region of another of said stations for pressing a clip with a ribbon attached thereto against the core of said spool for fastening the ribbon thereto, and cutting means adjacent said rotary turret means for cutting through said ribbon.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein a ribbontensioning means is situated along said path in advance of said rotary turret means.

3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said ribbontensioning means is situated between said rotary measuring wheel means and said turret means, and ribbon-feeler means situated along said path between said measuring wheel means and said ribbon-tensioning means for feeling the ribbon during movement thereof along said path to determine the presence of irregularities, kinks, and the like in the ribbon.

4. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said clipfeeler means includes a movable feeler arm, a follower pin engaging said arm to follow the movement thereof, and a limit switch means connected to said follower pin for movement therewith, so that when said follower pin moves in response to movement of said feeler arm said limit switch means will be actuated.

5. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said stations include a winding station, said clip-pressing means being situated in the region of said winding station and including a pressure cylinder, a piston movable therein, and a presser member fixed to said piston for movement therewith to engage a clip for pressing the latter.

6. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said cutting means includes a cutting blade for cuting across a ribbon, a piston carrying said blade, and a pressure cylinder in which said piston is slidable.

7. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said ribbontensioning means includes an anvil along which the ribbon moves, a presser member for pressing the ribbon against said anvil, a piston connected to said presser member, and a pressure cylinder in which said piston is slidable.

8. The combination of claim 7 and wherein a carriage means supports said ribbon-tensioning means for movement in the direction of ribbon travel, and spring means coacting with said carriage means for opposing movement thereof in the direction of ribbon travel.

9. The combination of claim 3 and wherein said ribbon-tensioning means includes a swing-lever having a free end carrying a pressing roll which engages and presses against a ribbon during travel thereof, and a guide roll engaging and guiding said ribbon for movement along said path, said guide roll being located between said ribbon-feeling means and said swing lever.

10. The combination of claim 3 and wherein said ribbon-feeling means includes an adjustable guide-slit through which the ribbon is guided, a feeler pin engaging said ribbon-feeling means for sensing the position thereof, and limit-switch means coacting with said feeler pin to be actuated thereby according to the condition of said ribbon-feeling means.

11. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said rotary measuring wheel means carries at its ribbonengaging periphery a material of a high coeflicient of friction.

12. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said ribbon-tensioning means includes a pressure cylinder, said clip-pressing means and said cutting means also respectively including pressure cylinders, drive means operatively connected to said rotary turret head means for turning the latter, one of said stations of said rotary turret means being a winding station where a driven rotary winding spindle is located, drive means operatively connected to the latter spindle for rotating the latter, counter means operatively connected with said rotary measuring wheel means to be actuated thereby, said counter means being adjustable for measuring a predetermined length of ribbon, and control means for controlling the drive means of said spindle at said winding station and said rotary turret means as well as for controlling all of said pressure cylinders, said counter means having an output operatively connected to said control means for actuating the latter.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,668,023 2/ 1954 Whitson et a1. 242-56 2,686,638 8/1954 Horvat 242-56 3,089,660 5/1963 Bilane 242---56 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,285,630 1/ 1962 France.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner WERNER H. SCHROEDER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

